Author: Tambiyan Samvel

SOUHAYR BELHASSEN: THE CAPITAL OF ARMENIA HAS TURNED INTO HUMAN RIGHTS CAPITAL TODAY

armradio.am
06.04.2010 17:42

President Serzh Sargsyan received Souhayr Belhassen, President of the
International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), who has arrived in
Armenia to participate in the 37th Congress of the Federation.

President Sargsyan highly appreciated the cooperation between FIDH and
Armenia and welcomed the decision to hold the Federation’s congress
in Armenia. the President noted Armenia still has a number of issues
to be solve in the field of human rights defense, but it’s obvious
that the cannot be solved within a day.

Mrs. Belhassen expressed gratitude to Serzh Sargsyan for Armenia’s
efforts to conduct the congress on a high level. She characterized the
organization of the forum in our country as a historic event, noting
that "the Armenian capital has turned into human rights capital today."

Belhassen said Armenia is in an advantageous position in the region
as regards the defense of human rights.

The President of the International Federation of Human Rights voiced
hope that the cooperation with Armenia would continue developing,
improving the activity of the Armenian structures called to protect
human rights. At the same time she noted that Armenian authorities
never fail to respond to her various requests.

President Sargsyan wished success and productive activity to the
participants of the congress and voiced hope that they would have an
opportunity to learn about our history and traditions.

ARMENIAN LARGE BUSINESS ENTITIES CAN BENEFIT FROM EURASEC FUNDS BY THE END OF 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net –
April 6, 2010 – 16:19 AMT 11:19 GMT

A working group has been established in Armenia to facilitate
applications to the EurAsEC Anti- Crisis Fund, RA Deputy Finance
Minister Vardan Aramyan said.

"The largest projects of transnational importance will be chosen to be
submitted for funding by the Fund," he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Three or four projects in chemical, transport, metallurgy, information
technology industries are ready and preliminary applications are now
reviewed by the fund. The Deputy Minister expressed hope that the Fund
will make a final decision over Armenia’s projects by the end of 2010.

On April 1, 2010, RA Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan attended the
8th meeting of EurAsEC, where inter alia issues related to economic
and financial cooperation between EurAsEC member states, the course
of anti-crisis programs and the EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Fund activities
were discussed.

Upon completion of the meeting Russia’s Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin
said that any CIS country may join the Fund, paying a $1 million
contribution. However, he did not elaborate on terms or countries
which applied.

BREAKTHROUGH IN KARABAKH PROCESS NOT EXPECTABLE, SAYS YUNUS

Aysor
April 6 2010
Armenia

Arif Yunus, an Azerbaijani political scientist, said doesn’t expect any
breakthrough in the process of settlement to the Karabakh conflict. In
an interview with Day.Az agency Yunus said when asked whether any
breakthrough in the process is possible: "No. We will hear traditional
optimistic statements by co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and other
western diplomats and experts as well as statements by leaders of
Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, I don’t expect any movement in the
near future."

He said that the sides’ positions are so far from each other, that
it’s difficult to imagine any move towards settlement to the conflict.

When asked whether the Armenia-Turkey border will open, and whether
it will be linked with the Karabakh conflict, analyst said that
border’s opening is a matter of time. "Moreover, this is a matter of
the near future; however, if the border’s opening will be linked with
settlement to the Karabakh conflict, especially, on a legal basis,
– it is very doubtful."

According to Arif Yunus, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan will try to
link these processes at meetings with Obama and Sargsyan. "However,
he will hardly come off. Anyway, it can hardly happen now."

HRAYR KARAPETYAN: THE DANGER OF RESUMPTION OF WAR EXISTS UNTIL A FINAL PEACE TREATY IS SIGNED
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
02.04.2010 14:14

"The danger of resumption of military actions will always exist unless
a final peace treaty is signed," Chairman of the National Assembly’s
Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs
Hrayr Karapetyan told a press conference today.

Hrayr Karapetyan said, however, that it’s unacceptable for
non-authorized people like historians or political scientists to
declare to what extent a new war is likely from political and military
points of view, since they are completely unaware of the process.

"Should a war with Azerbaijan break out today, the Armenian side
will surely win it, and this time the fruits of the victory will
be more significant – Armenia will stop being a landlocked country,
and Azerbaijan will lose its sovereignty," Hrayr Karapetyan stated.

MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BODY OF THE "FRIENDS OF ARMENIA" ORGANIZATION FROM THE USA LEVON TOROS AWARDED THE "GRATITUDE" MEDAL

Noyan Tapan
Apr 1, 2010

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 1, NOYAN TAPAN-ARMENIANS TODAY. On 31 March
President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan signed a decree
awarding the "Gratitude" medal to a member of the executive body of the
"Friends of Armenia" ("Motherland Union") organization from the USA
Levon Toros for participation in carrying out a number of humanitarian
projects in the NKR. About this Noyan Tapan was informed by central
information department of the Artsakh Republic President.

FREDRIK REINFELDT WELCOMES TURKISH AMBASSADOR

The Swedish Wire
article/2:politics/3624:fredrik-reinfeldt-welcomes -turkish-ambassador
March 31 2010

Sweden’s Prime Minister on Wednesday welcomed the Turkish ambassador’s
return to Stockholm after being recalled to Anakara over the Swedish
parliament’s recognition of an Armenian "genocide."

Fredrik Reinfeldt "welcomes that she is coming back to Sweden. It’s
good that our diplomatic relations are (maintained)," the prime
minister’s spokeswoman Roberta Alenius told AFP.

Ambassador Zergun Koruturk arrived in the Swedish capital Tuesday.

Before her departure, she told reporters in Anakara her return to
Sweden became possible after the Swedish government distanced itself
from the parliament’s decision.

Koruturk was summoned back to Ankara on March 11 after the Swedish
parliament voted by a narrow margin a opposition-led resolution to
recognise the Ottoman massacres of Armenians during World War I as
genocide, despite the government’s advice not to do so.

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt later apologised to Ankara,
a move which his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan called
"very positive".

Foreign Minister Carl Bildt also said that the position of his
government, which supports Turkey’s entry into the European Union,
"remains unchanged".

"Our foreign minister also met his Turkish counterpart and he met
some Turkish groups living here, so we’ve been involved in this,"
Alenius said.

"We had good relations with Turkey and want this to continue,"
she added.

CO-CHAIRS NOTE WITH SATISFACTION THE COMMITMENT OF THE PARTIES TO REACH A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MADRID PRINCIPLES

596582/lang/en
2010-03-30

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS: The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Ambassadors Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France,
and Robert Bradtke of the United States, released statement today on
the results of their March 26-29 visit to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Press service of the OSCE informed Armenpress that the statement runs
as follows:

"The Minsk Group Co-Chairs visited Yerevan and Nagorno-Karabakh March
26-29. They updated the de facto authorities March 27 on the current
state of negotiations. In Yerevan March 28, the Co-Chairs met President
Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan to further
discuss Armenian comments on the Basic Principles for the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. While in Armenia, the
Co-Chairs also had a number of other separate bilateral meetings. After
the recent meetings between the Co-Chairs and the parties in Paris and
in the region, the Co-Chairs note with satisfaction the commitment
of the parties to reach a peaceful settlement within the framework
of the Madrid Principles."

RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCIL ON POSSIBLE GEORGIAN LINK IN MOSCOW BOMBINGS

Tert.am
13:15 ~U 31.03.10

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said investigators
looking into the Moscow metro bombings were working on all the possible
versions, including Georgia’s possible involvement, reports Georgian
news site Civil.ge.

In an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax, Patrushev was
asked by the journalist: "There is an opinion that terrorist acts in
Moscow could have been organized from abroad. Do you believe that?"

"All the versions need to be checked," Patrushev responded. "For
example, there is Georgia and its leader Saakashvili, whose actions
are unpredictable."

"Unfortunately, a number of countries provide him with support,
including military assistance. We state that it is unacceptable. He
has already waged a war once. It is not ruled out that he will do
that again."

"We had information that individual agents of Georgian special
services were keeping contacts with terrorist organizations in the
Russian North Caucasus. We need to check this version too in respect
of the Moscow terrorist acts," Patrushev added.

TIGRAN DAVTYAN: ARMENIAN ECONOMY IS IN THE STAGE OF STABILIZATION
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
31.03.2010 18:28

According to the decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia,
the social allowances and pensions will increase 3 500 and 2 650 AMD
respectively. Most economists and common citizens say the increase
cannot be sufficient, taking into consideration that the gas price
is going to rise from April 1st.

"The government makes its calculations within the limits of its
capacity, and the financial capacities of the state are reflected
in the state budget," Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan told a press
conference today.

"This year’s macroeconomic indices were a little better, than we
had foreseen in the budget. The budget envisaged a 1.3% GDP growth,
while what we have today is a little higher,’" the Minister said.

According to Tigran Davtyan, the Armenian economy is in the stage of
stabilization and revival today. He predicts that 1-1.5 years will
be needed for full recovery.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF .66 MILLION CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON MARCH 31

Noyan Tapan
March 31, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
million 660 thousand at the weighted average exchange rate of 401.25
drams per dollar were conducted at NASDAQ OMX Armenia OJSC on March
31. According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia,
the closing price was 400 drams.